Attorney General Informs Texas of Scammers Posing as Government Entities

Ken Paxton, Texas Attorney General, cautions citizens of Texas regarding growth of scammers imitating government agencies that collect taxes, fines, payments, or personal information. Other organizations, including local law enforcement, may also be used for potential scams.

“All Texans should be aware of unsolicited calls and emails from scammers impersonating leaders in their government. This is a dirty trick fraudsters are using to make a quick buck at the expense of hardworking Texans,” says Paxton during his press release.

If contacted by someone via phone or email from a government entity, the Attorney General’s Office provided a few tips on avoiding a scam.

• Do not wire money, provide financial or personal information, bank accounts, credit card, or Social Security numbers
• Be mindful of names or phone numbers. Scammers may use fake names and phone numbers to disguise their identity and area code.

When contacted by a government agency, citizens are encouraged to keep their personal information private, always check for legitimate phone numbers on the company’s website, and be cautious of repeated scam attempts.
Report suspected fraud by filing a Consumer Complaint with the Texas Attorney General’s Office. All consumer complaints are open record and are made public by the Consumer Protection Division. Further information on this and other reports from the Texas Attorney General may be found at: www.texasattorneygeneral.gov